Horowhenua StarHorowhenua-Kāpiti flanker Jack Sturmey has written himself into the record books.
In scoring five tries against Buller at Levin Domain at the weekend he equalled the record for the most tries in a representative match for HK – remarkable when considering rugby in the province stretches back 132 years.
Jack Sturmey on his way to another try in Saturday’s match against Buller. Photo Tyler McKnight
It was a brilliant performance by the 25-year-old. He scored his first try in the first minute of the match and his fifth in the final minute to equal a record set by former flying wing Don Laursen against West Coast in 1991.
Man of the match Jack
says he even surprised himself with the try tally and downplayed the achievement, crediting the team’s forward pack for doing the hard work.
“I barely score tries so it was all a bit surprising,” he says. “I think I’ve only ever scored one a game before now. I’ve only scored one try in club rugby all season.
“When you look at it, it was the work of the forward pack that helped make those tries. I didn’t have to run farther than five metres to score.”
There were plenty of tries scored in the backyard growing up though. His sisters, Kahurangi Sturmey, 26, and Rangimarie Sturmey, 22, both play for Manawatū Cyclones, while younger brother Quinn, 20, is a promising loose forward playing club rugby in Bay of Plenty.
They all inherited a love of rugby from their father, Slade Sturmey, a former Horowhenua-Kāpiti captain who played 27 provincial games between 2007 and 2017, scoring a total of two career tries.
Jack played age grade rugby for Horowhenua-Kāpiti from the Rāhui club in Ōtaki before joining Palmerston North Boys High School where he made the first XV.
A builder by trade, he played a couple of seasons in Wellington for Tawa on leaving school before moving to Bay of Plenty, where he now plays for the Tauranga Sports club.
Jack has always played lock or loose forward and made his Heartland debut for Horowhenua-Kāpiti in 2024 as a Player of Origin. He played nine games last season, scoring two tries.
By contributing 25 points with his five tries at the weekend he came close to the record of most points in a match for Horowhenua-Kāpiti, which is 29, a mark shared by Josh Hamilton (2010) and Brandyn Laursen (2015).
Brandyn’s uncle, Don Laursen, holds the record for the most career tries for Horowhenua-Kāpiti. He scored 74 in 127 games for the province between 1980 and 1992.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti Rugby Union chief executive Corey Kennett holds the record for most tries in a season – 15 – achieved in 1993, the year Horowhenua-Kāpiti won the NPC Third Division. Former All Black Carlos Spencer holds the record for the most points in a season – 136 – also achieved in 1993.
It was a fine start to the season for Horowhenua-Kāpiti and the team have gelled quickly, despite welcoming in a host of newcomers. Time will tell just how strong Buller is as an opponent. It was Horowhenua-Kāpiti’s first win on home spoil since beating Buller at Levin Domain in September 2023.
Number 8 Pene To’o, a cousin of NRL wing Brian To’o, and prop George Jacobs and wing Max Hoskings all scored tries on debut, while the other try scorer was midfielder Connor Paki, with Rory Woollett adding seven conversions. Other players to debut were Jayson Aquila, Albert Hemopo, Joeli Rauca, Mikaere Harvey and Nonu Tuia.
Horowhenua-Kāpiti’s next match is against Mid Canterbury at Ashburton tomorrow.
SCOREBOARD
Horowhenua-Kāpiti: Tries to J Sturmey 5, P To’o, G Jacobs, C Paki, M Hosking. Rory Woollett 7 con. Buller: Tries to A Schupbach, M Kaloudigibeci, J Blair 2 con. HT: 33-7.
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